Page 73 of Marriage Masquerade

“No. Money only buys things. I’m not a thing and I’m not interested in money. If his father thought to buy me off, too bad. I’m not leaving Nikos.”

“We can make things very uncomfortable for you.”

Gemma had had enough. She leaped to her feet, placed her hands on her hips, and glared at him.

“Doesn’t matter. It’s Nikos who matters, not his father. If Nikos tells me to leave, I will. But I won’t go unless he’s the one to tell me.”

“I did not say I come from his father. Did you ever consider that I might be here from Nikos directly?” Xander asked slowly.

“Ha. If Nikos didn’t like the arrangement, he’d let me know in no uncertain terms. He’s the one who proposed this crazy marriage. I expect he'll tell me if he tires of it. He doesn’t need some gofer to do that.”

But the doubts built. Hadn’t she noticed he’d pulled away in the last several days? Was he regretting their hasty alliance? Had he sought to avoid a scene by sending Xander?

“A besotted woman thinks she can wrap a man around her finger. Better take the offer while it’s still available, or you’ll be out with nothing.”

“Besotted.” She wanted to scream with frustration. “I may love the man, but I’m not besotted. He isn’t perfect. He’s arrogant and always ordering things to suit him. Like this marriage.”

“Love?” Xander sounded perplexed. “What does that have to do with marriage? Nikos needs a woman of his own country to give him the support he'll need when he returns to Greece to live.”

“I know enough about love to know he also needs someone on his side, someone who cares about him and what he’s thinking and feeling, and not for some society thing. He doesn’t need a woman just because of her place of birth. He had his chance to meet someone here, yet he chose me. So you march inside and let his father know I’m not leaving unless Nikos tells me to.”

Xander hesitated a moment, then calmly inclined his head.

“You know where to find me if you change your mind.”

Furious, Gemma watched him walk away as if he had not a care in the world. Had he come from Nikos? Had being in his own country changed Nikos' mind about staying with her?

He'd made no moves to increase their intimacy—did that prove he was losing interest?

She turned and headed back toward the beach, then saw Nikos when she reached the gate. Hoping for a moment to calm her nerves, she waited for him, her anger growing as he took his time. Anger and suspicions that maybe Xander had been telling the truth. Maybe hehadcome from Nikos.

“I want to speak to you,” she said when he drew close.

“About?”

Nikos paused by the gate and studied her. She knew she was flushed with the anger that threatened to overwhelm her. But that couldn’t be helped. She needed answers now.

“About an attempted bribe to end our marriage.”

“What are you talking about?”

He seemed surprised at her announcement.

“Who has mentioned a bribe? Or even hinted at ending the marriage?”

“Your father’s assistant. He suggested he came from you, but I don’t believe him. At least, I don’t think I do. He said you wanted to end our marriage and would give me lots of money to go.”

“Ah. And your response?” Nikos waited politely, his gaze never leaving hers.

“I told him I wasn’t for sale. If you wish to end this relationship, you come right out and tell me. Otherwise, it sticks.”

Without waiting for a response, she whirled around and almost ran to the stairs leading to their balcony.

She was almost shaking with nerves. Had she made another mistake, a worse one than with James? The emotion she felt for that man had faded, seemed paltry compared to the intensity of her love for Nikos. But her track record wasn’t great with men. Had she misread the signs, trying to convince herself that Nikos wanted her as much as she wanted him?

Several hours later, Gemma twisted this way and that as she looked at herself in the mirror, wondering if she should wear the dress or not. It had looked elegant and sophisticated in New York. But with the heightened modesty prevalent among the women she’d met since arriving in Greece, she wondered if it was too daring.

The gown brushed her ankles as she walked, the soft pale yellow chiffon falling from the clip at her left shoulder. The right was bare. Both arms were bare and lightly tanned from her days on the beach. The loose-fitting garment hid all signs of her pregnancy and looked feminine and alluring.

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